The June 7 news article “As ship pollution rises, U.S. waits for the world to act” follows a familiar pattern: environmental groups want more and the global shipping industry is not doing enough to curb emissions. Next comes the inevitable comparison with electric vehicles. It was very meaningful to compare the M/V Mark W. Barker — a 639-foot, 8,000-horsepower vessel weighing 26,000 gross tons — to an electric car. That the ship is designed to haul wind turbines fits the narrative nicely, but the story leaves out the most relevant point of all: That boat is powered by two advanced diesel technology engines with control systems that enable it to achieve near-zero emissions and meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 standards.
The fastest way to address port community air quality concerns is modernizing fleets to this generation of near-zero emissions diesel technology. To reduce carbon emissions (whose impact is global, not local), investments should go where the greatest reductions can be realized for the least amount of money. Tons of carbon reduced matter; not percentage reductions by industry.
A coordinated international policy is needed, not one led by just California. New technologies need to demonstrate reliability and durability for long ocean voyages before there will be widespread adoption. On the high seas, there’s no pulling over and calling AAA for a charge or repair.
Allen Schaeffer, Frederick
The writer is executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum.
